Aero structure



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FI'PBBOl GR 197919182 if I "Fgb 3, 1931. c. E. WOODRUFF 1,791,182

- AERO STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 6. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

6. E. W000RUFF,

ATTORNEY.

244. AtHONAU l [US Feb. 3, 1931. c. E.- WOODRUFF 1,791,132

mo s'muc'ruas Y Filed Aug. 6. 1929 2 shuts-sheet 2 INVENTOR. I Cl. WOODRUFF,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 3, 1931 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES EUGENE WOODRUFF, 0E NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE AERO STRUCTURE Application filed. August 6, 1929.

The invention relates to improvements in control of air craft, and is particularly applied in the present instance to use on aeroplanes, although it may also be used on d 1r1 gible balloons and other craft. It is an ob ect of the invention to present novel means to effect turning of craft, and particularly aeroplanes. A further important ob ect 1s to resent means to regulate the lifting efl'ect of the wings of such craft, while yet permitting the use of the same wings for banklng when making turns, without disturbance of any lifting adjustment which may have been made.

A further purpose is to present novel means to effect a common variation of inclination of two wings simultaneously while permitting independently relative variation of their inclinations for steering effects.

Another object is to coordinate in a novel way a banking control and a lateral brake.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts in the embodiment of the invention, as will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top view of an aeroplane constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a skeletonized perspective of the lift varying and independent wing tilting operative connections, alone.

Figure 3 is a detail plan of one wing partly in section.

Figure 4 is an end view of a wing tip.

Figure 5 is a side view of the empennage.

There is illustrated a monoplane the construction of which except as to details of the control connections and operative means for the control may conform to approved practices known. It includes a fuselage 10 and elevator 11 of conventional function. A rudder of the conventional form is not essential and no such device need be employed unless as an auxiliary for use in case of failure of control connections in my invention. The craft may be propelled by any usual means, a propeller 13 being indicated to be operated by a motor, the details of Serial No. 383,895.

which form no part of the invention and are not illustrated.

The plane is provided with lateral wings 14 and 15, pivoted upon an axis transverse to the craft and slightly forward of the medial line of the wings. This mounting may include a shaft- 16 upon which the wings may rock. The wings are preferably constructed with ample rigidity to resist distortion, and at their inner parts adjacent the forward edges links 17 are connected thereto by which they may be moved pivotally on the shaft 16. These links are extensible in a peculiar way and for a purpose to be described. At their lower ends they are connected to arms 19 and 20 extended forwardly and rearwardly from a shaft 21 mounted revolubly on the craft parallel to the axis of the wings. The shaft 16 is in the present instance hollow and. has revolubly mounted therein at each end a reduced tip-operating shaft 22 by which wing tips 23 may be operated. The wing tips are in the form of symmetrical continuations of the wings themselves, and are revolubly mounted on the extremity of the shafts 16. The inner ends of the shafts 22 are provided with arms 24, conected by cables 25 tooperating levers 26 mounted on the shaft 21. Centrally on the shaft 21 there is fixed a worm gear segment 27, and with this segment there is meshed a worm 28 on the end of a steering shaft 29 having a hand wheel conveniently located for the manipulation of the pilot.

The levers 26 extend upwardly at the left and downwardly on the right-hand side. In the movement of the wings for banking, the respective tip at the side toward which the turn is to be made will be moved oppositely, effecting a retardation of the progress of the adjacent wing of the craft, so that it is caused to turn. Any suitable means may be provided to cause return and retention of the wing tips in initial position, in the. present instance this consisting in locatingthe pivot axis of the tip forwardly of its center, and providing a stop 30 on the rear part of the wing to receive the swinging part of the tip and check it in alinement with the adjacent wing.

The links 18 each comprises a cylinder carried by the lower part of the link, and a piston 32 having a rod portion 34 extended above to form the adjacent end of the link. By reason of the rear surface of each wing being the greater, the wings are pressed upwardly at their rear edges in flight, and the pistons tend to be held at the lower limit of their movements in the cylinders. A source of liquid or gas under pressure, which mayinelude a pump, is provided at 35, from which pipes 36 are led to the cylinders, and by means of valves 37 liquid may be admitted to the cylinders to raise the pistons and thus lengthen the links 17. This supports the forward edges of the wings at a higher level, giving greater inclination to the wing, so that it is adapted for heavier loads at. slower speeds. At the same time, in any stage of such adjustment, the operation of the control wheel 80 will move the links relatively as desired for banking and turning.

In making a turn, the wheel being operated for a left turn, the shaft 21 will be rotated so as to move the arm 19 forward and downward while the arm 20 is moved rearwardly. and upward lowering and raising respectively the forward edges of the left and right wings. At the same time the forward movement of the arm 26 at the left side draws upon a cable 38 attached to an arm 39 on the shaft 22 resulting in turning of the wing tip 23 at the left into a retarding position. The arm 26 at the right will move rearwardly by the same operation, producing slack in a cable 38 attached thereto and to an arm on the right hand shaft 22, and consequently the right wing tip will not be moved into retarding position, but under progression of the craft will be held by pressure of incident air in normal initial position alined with the wing. The operation for a right turn will be similar except that the operation of the wings will be reversed, and the right tip will be actuated instead of the left one.

The extension of the links 17 may of course be accomplished by other mechanical means than that described, and such modification of structure or utilization of equivalents will lie within the scope of the invention except as otherwise defined by the claims appended.

In order to make strut connections between the wings, and the fuselage, a bearing 40 is fitted on the shaft 16 inwardly of the wing tip, and to this bearing there are fixed the outer ends of the diagonal struts 41, springing from the fuselage in any approved manner. A larger bearing of any approved form may be provided at 42 for the inner end of the wing, the details of this not being illustrated.

I claim 1. In an air plane, means to cause lateral inclination of the plane during flight including an operative rocking member and means to move it in either direction, for respective opposite tilting effects, oppositely extended arms on the rocking member, braking devices located at each side of the plane, and respective flexible connections between the braking devices and adjacent arms on the rocking member.

2. In an air plane, laterally located aerofoils of variable inclination, a rocking shaft having oppositely extended arms operative connections between the-arms and respective said aerofoils for opposite movement of the two ae'rofoils simultaneously under movement of the shaft, respective braking devices at the sides of the craft and operative connections between the shaft and the braking devices, one being yieldable in one direction of movement of the shaft and the other connection being yieldable in the opposite direction of movement of the shaft causing elevation of the adjacent side of the craft.

3. An air plane control comprising means for banking a plane, brake means for each side on the plane, and means to operate the brake means alternatively to effect turning of the plane, said banking means comprising two opposite lifting planes pivoted on a transverse axis, links connected thereto movable to vary the inclination, and means to hold the links in wing retaining positions, each link being extensible, and means to extend the links at will.

4. In an aeroplane, a sustaining symmetrically disposed wing set having respective brake devices operative on incident air under progression of the craft, means to operate the brakes alternatively at will, whereby one side of the craft will be retarded and the other relatively unimpeded so as to cause turning of the craft on an axis substantially perpendicular to the normal plane of flight, said means to operate the brakes comprising a rock shaft and respective members connected eccentrically to the shaft on oppositely extending radii, and having lost-motion connections, the limits of lost-motion being at the initial position of the shaft in respective operative directions, and being of an extent to permit full operation of one brake device with the other in inoperative position, the brakes being of a construction to engage incident air under flight conditions with resultant force acting to hold the brakes in inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES EUGENE l/VOODRUFF. 

